White House women pushed through DWS pick

Last month, White House senior adviser David Plouffe, according to party sources, had more or less settled on former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland to replace Kaine as head of the Democratic National Committee, despite an eleventh-hour push for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

At that point, several women close to Obama, including senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, made the case for Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), one of Obama’s top surrogates on the cable-TV circuit.

After a brief but intense internal debate over a joint chairmanship, the group opted for Wasserman Schultz, who can help Obama with Jewish donors, Sunshine State voters and above all, women, creating a powerful one-two punch with first lady Michelle Obama.

ALSO:

White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer disputed this version of events, describing it as “very inaccurate,” though other Democratic sources stood by its accuracy.